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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. H. ROGERS.

TOBOGGAN SLIDE.

No. 363,914. Patented May 31, 1887.

( No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. L. H. ROGERS.

TOBOGGAN SLIDE.

Patentd May 31, 1887.

N PETERS. PhohrLiflmgnphcr. Washin ton. 1C.

NITEVD STATES 7 ATENT Utrrca.

ITOBOGGAN-SLIDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,914, dated May 31,1887.

Application filed February 4,1887. Serial No. 226.533. (N model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEBBEUS H. Roenns of New York city, in the countyand State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inToboggan-Slides, which improvement is fully set forth in the followingspecification.

My invention relates to toboggan roller slides, and provides means forlessening the friction between the track and the sled or toboggan, andthereby giving to the persons riding the latter a sense of smoothlygliding over the snow or ice.

Hitherto roller-slides have been constructed with a polished track, andthe sled has been provided with wheels, rollers, or ball-bearings; butthe sensation produced in this manner is found to bea poor substitutefor that obtained by tobogganing on the snow.

By means of my invention imitating as much as possible the large surfaceembraced by the real toboggan moving over the snow, the evident cause ofthe smoothigliding-I am enabled to secure a nearer approach to thedesired sensation and overcome the irregular motion and the roughnessmet with in the usual form of roller-slides.

I construct the slide with the necessary rise, so that the tobogganshall readily attain the desired speed. The track is made ofsmoothlyplaned boards, with rollers placed at suitable distances apartand journaled below the surface, so that the top or periphery of eachroller shall protrude only so far that the bending of the toboggan underthe weight of the riders shall slightly cause it to come in contact withthe track between the rollers.

For the purpose of preventing the toboggan from leaving the track, I mayconstruct the rollers in either of two forms which will satisfactorilyaccomplish the desired end. In the one case I form a recess in eachroller by turning it down to a smaller diameter, and construct thetoboggan with a lug or guide to travel in the recessed portion of theroller; or, in the other case, I divide the roller into two or moreseparate parts, journaling each independently, and practically making adouble track. In this instance I construct the toboggan with a longerguide-arm capable of descending into the slot between the two rollers,

and make projections on the said guidearm provided with anti-frictionrollers, which effectually prevent the toboggan from being raised offthe track should it encounter an obstacle.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification,Figure I is a side view of a portion of the track with rollers; Fig. I,a plan View thereof; Figs. III and IV, similar views showing differentforms of rollers; Fig. III", a cross-section of a toboggan; Fig. V, avertical cross-section'of the form shown in Fig. IV, and Fig. VI adetail in longitudinal section.

The surface A of the slide is or maybe formed of polished wood, and isinclinedat the proper angle to give the desired speed to the toboggan.At suitable intervals-say eight or ten inches apart-are rollers B,extending across the slide at right angles thereto and journaled attheir ends in bearings, in such manner that the surface of the rollerwill project slightly (one-eighth ofan inch is sufficient) above thesurface of the slide A.

As shown in Fig. III, the rollers B are turned down to a smallerdiameter at b, and the track is provided with a corresponding groove, 0.The toboggan 1 (see Fig. III) used on this track may be provided with adepending lug or flange, 3, which will travel in this groove and preventthe toboggan from swerv ing to either side.

I do not restrict myself to one recess, for it is evident that more thanone may be turned in each roller and the toboggan providedwith a likenumber of lugs.

Fig. IV represents the track with divided rollers, and Fig. V a sectionthereof, showing the toboggan 1 provided with hand-rails 2, and with theguide-arm 3, having a cross-piece carrying rollers 4, to prevent it fromrising in case of accidents. The foot-walk 5 is shown provided with arailing, 6.

It is not necessary that the cross-piece and rollers on the guide-armshould be used, because their oftice is simply to keep theguidearm fromrising, and the cases where there is danger of it doing so are notfrequent,while it is often the case that the toboggan is caused todeviate from a straight line, which the presence of the guide willeffectually prevent.

It is desirable that the toboggan should slide from one roller to theother without jerking, and therefore it should bear to some extent uponthe track. In order that the depending guide-arm 3 may not interferewith dragging the toboggan back to the starting-point, it may be hinged,as shown in Fig. VI, and in returning it may be folded over on thetoboggan, as indicated by dotted lines.

Having now fully described my said inven' tion,what I claim, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A toboggan-slide comprising a smoothsurfaced track and a series ofrollers journaled therein to bring their peripheries on or nearly on theplane of the surface of the track,whereby the toboggan in traveling overthe slide will bearlightly on thetrack between the rollers,substantially as described.

LEBBEUS H. ROGERS.

\Vitnesses: A. B. FERNALD,

HOWARD WHITFIELD.

